1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a garbage truck, more particularly to a garbage truck which has a larger garbage collecting capacity, which requires less manpower, and which reduces the contact of garbage collectors with refuse.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the volume of refuse generated increases, there is always a need to provide a better and more efficient way of collecting garbage. At present, garbage collection is done only at night when traffic is light so as to reduce the amount of time needed to service a garbage collection route. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional garbage truck (1) is shown to comprise a motor truck (11) and a garbage container (12) provided on a rear end of the motor truck (11). The container (12) confines a relatively small garbage receiving space (13), and thus, only a limited amount of refuse can be collected at one time. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to make several trips so as to collect all of the garbage on one garbage collection route. Note that the placing of refuse inside the receiving space (13) is done manually. This operation is time-consuming and requires a large amount of manpower. Furthermore, the garbage collectors are in contact with refuse for relatively long periods of time. Thus, the health of the garbage collectors is in danger because of their prolonged exposure to an unsanitary environment.
A second kind of a garbage truck (not shown) has been developed in order to reduce the contact time of garbage collectors with refuse. FIG. 2 illustrates a garbage receiving bin (14) used with this kind of a garbage truck. The garbage receiving bin (14) is positioned at a predetermined location on the garbage collection route. The garbage receiving bin (14) confines a receiving space (15) for receiving the refuse of neighboring households. The receiving bin (14) is pushed toward the garbage truck so as to transfer the contents of the former to the latter. The contact time of the garbage collectors with refuse is thus reduced.
Note that since the receiving bin (14) can accommodate a relatively small volume of refuse, one cannot help but place garbage outside the receiving bin (14) when the receiving bin (14) is full. Thus, manual handling of garbage is still necessary due to the limited volume of the receiving bin (14).
The main drawbacks of the above disclosed garbage trucks are as follows:
1. The garbage carrying capacity of the garbage trucks is relatively small. The size of the garbage container (12) is relatively small, and thus, the volume of garbage which can be accommodated per trip is correspondingly less. It is therefore necessary to make several trips on one garbage collection route when collecting a large volume of refuse.
2. Manual placement of garbage into the receiving space (13) is time-consuming, tiring and inconvenient. Referring once more to FIG. 1, garbage has to be raised by a height (H) corresponding to the vertical displacement of the receiving space (13) from the ground when moving garbage into the receiving space (13).
3. The garbage collectors are in contact with refuse for relatively long periods of time. The health of the garbage collectors is in danger because of their prolonged exposure to an unsanitary environment.